Matrix switch mechanism

ABSTRACT

A matrix plate switch controlled by a cash register for use in operating a change-dispensing mechanism which includes a printed circuit board and a switch blade frame separated by a pair of movable mylar matrix plates. The matrix plates are connected to and positioned by rack members in the cash register to align holes located in said matrix plates so as to allow switch contacts to sense a predetermined area of the circuit board, thereby selectively operating the change dispenser to dispense change according to the setting of a rack member of the cash register.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Louis E.Zurbuchen;

Karl C. George, Dayton, Ohio [21] Appl. No. 825,141 [22] Filed May 16, 1969 [45] Patented [73] Assignee Feb. 16, 1971 The National Cash Register Company Dayton, Ohio a corporation of Maryland [54] MATRIX SWITCH MECHANISM 5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.8. C1 235/7 [51] Int. Cl G07g 1/00 [50] Field ol'Search.... 235/7, 7.], 7.1 l, 2

[5 6] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,972,442 2/1961 Goodbar et a1. 235/7 3,006,538 10/1961 Deutsch 235/7X 3,061,184 10/1962 Becker 235/7 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Stanley A. Wal Attorney-Louis A. Kline ABSTRACT: A matrix plate switch controlled by a cash register for use in operating a change-dispensing mechanism which includes a printed circuit board and a switch blade frame separated by a pair of movable mylar matrix plates. The matrix plates are connected to and positioned by rack members in the cash register to align holes located in said matrix plates so as to allow switch contacts to sense a predetermined area of the circuit board, thereby selectively operating the change dispenser to dispense change according to the setting of a rack member of the cash register.

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LOUIS E. ZURBUCH EN 8| KARL C. GEORGE THEIR ATTORNEYS PATENTEDFEBIBIBYI 3L563l455 sum 3 [IF 4 FIG. 7

INVENTORS LOUIS E. ZURBUCHEN a KARL (I. GEORGE THEIR ATTORNEYS PATENTEU m1 sln J v 35533455 sum u nr 4 FIG. 9

DIME PLATE 0x23456139 ciwwrwww' IO N , INVENTORS LOUIS E. ZURBUCHEN 8| KARL C. GEORGE BY WW4 4% THEIR ATTORNEYS 1 MATRIX swrrcn MECHANISM CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT Automatic Change-Dispensing Cash Register, U.S. Pat. No. 2,972,442, issued Feb. 21, 1961, on the application of Mayo A. Goodbar et al.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to a cash register which controls a remote control unit and more particularly to a switch mechanism controlled by the operation of the cash register to selectively operate a remote control unit so as to produce a predetermined output. In the present embodiment, the remote control unit is a change dispenser. As is well known in the art, it is desirable to dispense the minimum amount of coins for any value of change. Prior change-dispensing cash registers usually made use of bulky switches that were mounted to the back of the machine, and a wiring harness for interconnecting the contacts of each of the switches to accomplish this dispensing of a minimum number of coins. An example of this type of construction is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,972,442, issued Feb. 21 1961, on the application of Mayo A. Goodbar et al. Whenever a cash register which had been purchased and was in operation was required to be modified so as to operate a change dispenser, a great length of time was needed to effect its modification, which was a great inconvenience to the owner.

Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a switch mechanism operated by a cash register to selectively operate a remote control unit so as to provide a predetermined output.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a switch mechanism which is of such a size as to fit within a cash register without changing its configuration.

It is another object of this invention to provide a switch mechanism, for use with a cash register, which is simple in operation and which requires a minimum amount of wiring for being connected to a remote control unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the switch mechanism, showing the printed circuit board, the matrix plates, the switch blade frame, and the rack members for driving the matrix plates.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the connecting block utilized to connect the matrix plate and the stem portion of the matrix drive racks.

FIG. 3 is a top detailed view of the switch mechanism with cutout portions in the printed circuit board to show details of the switch contacts and the printed circuit board.

FIG. 4 is a partial top detailed view of the switch mechamism with the printed circuit board removed, showing details of the matrix plates and the switch contacts.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the switch mechanism taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4, showing the switch contacts sensing aligned apertures in the matrix plates to make contact with a circuit element in the printed circuit board.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 3, showing the details of the stud for holding the various components of the switch mechanism together.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the matrix plate drive mechanism, showing its drive connection with the rack members of the cash register.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the matrix plate drive mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the electrical control circuits utilized between the matrix plate and the solenoid in the change dispenser.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention disclosed herein is adapted for use in machines of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,40l, issued Mar. 4, I969, on the application of Louis E. Zurbuchen and Freeland R. Goldammer, and in U.S. Pat. No. 2,616,623, issued Nov. 4, 1952, 'on the application of Mayo A. Goodbar et al., in which rack members are moved and positioned in accordance with the amount key depressed on the keyboard. As is well known in the art, the length of movement of the rack members is commensurate with the numerical value of the key depressed. Machines of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,972,442, issued Feb. 21, 1961, on the application of Mayo A. Goodbar et al., can also utilize the present invention by modifying the movement of the differential mechanism to provide a corresponding rectangular movement. As disclosed fully in the above-cited Goodbar et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,972,442, change dispensers are operated to dispense change which is less than a dollar. Thus the amount of change to be dispensed is that set up in the cent and dime amount banks after a change computation operation has occurred in the cash register. Reference should be made to Goodbar et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,972,442 for a complete disclosure of the change computation operation.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an exploded view of the switch mechanism utilized in the present invention, which includes a printed circuit board 20, a pair of matrix plates 21, 22, each containing a plurality of apertures 23, and a switch blade support frame 24, which supports a plurality of resilient switch blades 25, each containing a contact member 26.

The matrix plates 21, 22 are composed of an insulating material such as mylar and include, in addition to the apertures 23, a slot 27 and an elongated slot 28. As shown in FIG. 1, positioned within the slot 27 of the matrix plate 21 is the stem portion 30 of a rack member 31, while positioned in the slot 27 of the matrix plate 22 is the stem portion 32 of a second rack member 33. The stem portion 30 0 of the rack member 31 extends through an elongated slot 34 in the frame member 24, the elongated slot 28 in the matrix plate 22, the slot 27 of the matrix plate 21, and an elongated slot 35 in the printed circuit board 20. As may be seen from FIG. 1, the stem portion 32 of the rack member 33 is similarly positioned in a slot 36 in the frame member 24, the slots 27, 28 in the matrix plates 22, 21, respectively, and an elongated slot 37 in the circuit board 20.

Secured to each of the stem portions 30, 32 is a plastic connecting block 38 (FIG. 2), which, as shown in FIG. 1, engages a matrix plate, thus allowing the stem portion to move the corresponding matrix plate. Both matrix plates are operated in a sliding relationship. It is obvious from this construction that each of the matrix plates 21, 22 is capable of being moved in relation to the other by the movement of its associated rack member. As will'be described more fully hereinafter, each of the rack members 31, 33 is positioned commensurate with the positioning of the rack member in the cent and dime amount banks of the associated cash register.

The printed circuit board 20 has, bonded to its lower surface, copper elements 40 (FIG. 1), which constitute electrical circuit paths, as will be described more fully hereinafter. The printed circuit board 20, the two matrix plates 21, 22, and the switch plate frame 24 are assembled together by means of studs 41 (FIGS. 3, 4, and 6) to form the switch.

The switch blade support frame 24 includes a pair of switch blade support members 42, 43 (FIGS. 3 and 4), which are fastened to the support frame 24 by means of rivets 44. The

resilient switch blades 25 are positioned within slots 45 (FIGS. 1, 3, and 4) located in the support frame 24. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 each switch blade 25 is in line with the apertures 23 selectively positioned in the matrix plates 21, 22. As shown, there are sixteen switch blades 25. As will be described more fully hereinafter, upon the positioning of the matrix plates 21, 22 so that an aperture 23 in each of the matrix plates is in alignment with another, the switch blade contact 26 (FIG. moves through the aligned apertures due to the spring action of the switch blades 25 to make contact with one of the copper elements 40 (FIGS. 3 and 5) in the printed circuit board, thereby completing an electrical circuit to an associated dispensing mechanism. Mounted to each side of the matrix switch by means of studs 41 are a pair of support brackets 46 (FIGS. 3, 6, and 8) for mounting the read out switches to the cash register.

As shown in 1 and 7, each of the rack members 31, 33 contains a slot 47 within which is positioned a pair of rods 43, 50 for slidably supporting the rack members 31, 33. The rods are supported by a pair of side framesSI (FIG. 8) located within the machine. Also supported by the rods 48, 50 is a second pair of support brackets 52 (FIGS. 7 and 8), which support a pair of pinion gears 53. Each pinion gear 53 engages the teeth portions 54, 55 of one of the rack members 31, 33. A second gear 56 engages the gear 53 and the teeth portion 57 of a rack member 58, which is differentially set in the cent and dime amount banks of the cash register commensurate with the amount key depressed, in a manner well known in the art. Thus, in the present embodiment, the rack 58 in the cent amount bank engages the pinion gear 56, which drives the rack member 33, while the rack member 58 in the dime amount bank drives the rack member 31 through similar gears 56, 53. Since the matrix plates 21, 22 are driven by the rack members 31, 33, respectively, the matrix plate 21 is positioned commensurate with the amount contained in the dime bank of the cash register, while the matrix plate 22 is positioned commensurate with the amount set up in the cent bank.

Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown a schematic drawing of the matrix plates 21, 22 and the electrical circuits for controlling solenoids located in the associated change dispenser. As disclosed fully in the previously-cited Goodbar et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,972,442, the cash register is cycled through a series of machine operations to compute the change that is to be dispensed. This amount is set up in the cent and dime amount banks, with the matrix plates 21, 22 being posi tioned commensurate with the positioning of the racks 58 (FIG. 7) in the manner described above. The positioning of the matrix plates 21, 22 will result in certain of the apertures 23 in each matrix plate being aligned and in line with the switch contacts 26, so as to allow one or more switch contacts 26 (FIG. 5) to move through the aligned apertures 23 and make contact with a corresponding copper element 40 (FIG. 1) in the circuit board 26.

As shown in FIG. 3, there are eight copper elements 60 to 67 inclusive, which constitute circuit paths. Each of the copper elements extends to the side of the circuit board, where electrical connections (not shown) are made to the corresponding control solenoids in the dispenser apparatus. Thus the copper element 60 (FIG. 3) is connected to the solenoid dispensing 25 cents, the element 61 to the solenoid dispensing a nickel, the element 62 controlling the SO-cent solenoid, the element 63 the cent solenoid, the element 64 to ten-cent solenoid, the element 65 a second IO-cent solenoid, the element 66 a 2-cent solenoid, and the element 67 a second 2-cent solenoid. For an example of a change dispenser utilizing the above construction, reference should be made to the U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,037, issued Sep. 27, I960, on the application of Paul H. Williams and William K. Bramlage.

Referring again to FIG. 9, after the matrix plates 21, 22 have been positioned commensurate with the amount set up in the cent and dime banks of the cash register, an energizing pulse is sent over a line 68 to each of the switch blades 25 and their associated contact points 26. The circuit is then completed through those switch blades 25 and contacts 26 which have sensed aligned apertures 23 in the matrix plates 21 and 22 and closed a corresponding circuit to the circuit board, as described previously. The circuit is completed to the appropriate control solenoid 70 in the change dispenser, which, upon energizing, dispenses the proper change. Reference should be made to the previously-cited Goodbar et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,972,442, for a complete disclosure of a changedispensing operation.

As shown in FIG. 3, there are more than one switch blade 25 for the copper elements 60, 61, 62, 64, and 65. The type of change dispenser that is used with the matrix plates deter mines whether one or more of the switch contacts are used. Also the type of monetary system in which the apparatus is used determines the number of contacts that are needed to provide the minimum number of coins to constitute the change. It will be seen from FIG. 9 that, in the present embodiment, two switch contacts 26 are used with the copper elements 60, 61, 64, and 65. It is obvious that, by programming the location of the apertures 23 in the matrix plates 21, 22 for any change required, the minimum number of coins will be dispensed. I

It is apparent that, while a change dispenser has been described as the remote output device, other apparatus such as stamp dispensers, punch mechanisms, electrical sequencing controllers, or code converters can be controlled by the cash register and the matrix switch of the present invention. Thus any apparatus which has a plurality of output devices which are required to be selectively operated so as to produce a predetermined output can be utilized with the present invention.

We claim:

1. In combination with a cash register having a plurality of first rack members differentially settable to a position commensurate with an amount set up in the cash register:

a. a switch mechanism mounted on the cash register comprising a printed circuit board containing a plurality of predetermined positioned circuit elements;

b. a first insulating plate slidably mounted adjacent said circuit board and having a predetermined number of apertures selectively positioned therein;

c. a second insulating plate slidably mounted adjacent said first insulating plate and having a predetermined number of apertures selectively positioned therein;

d. a plurality of switch contacts resiliently mounted on a support member adjacent said insulating plates, each of said switch contacts being adapted for movement in a direction to engage one of said circuit elements upon sensing aligned apertures in said first and second insulating plates;

e. a control unit having a plurality of electrically-operated output means, said output means being selectively energized to provide a predetermined output;

f. circuit means interconnecting each of said circuit elements with one or more of said output means;

g. means connected to said switch contacts for supplying an energizing pulse to said contacts; and

h. second rack members engaging each of said insulating plates, said second rack members being settable to a position commensurate with the adjusted position of said first rack members to position said insulating plates commensurate with the amount of set up in the each register whereby a selected number of output means are operated to provide a predetermined output.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the cash register includes a cent bank and a dime bank each having one of said first rack members, said first rack member in said cent amount bank positioning said first insulating plate, and the first rack member in said dime amount bank positioning said second insulating plate; and said control unit comprises a coin dispenser whereby change is dispensed according to the amount set up in the cent and dime amount banks of the cash register.

ing plates includes a wide aperture;

said second rack members having a stern portion positioned within said wide aperture; and a connecting member mounted on said stem portion and positioned in said wide aperture whereby said insulating plates are positioned by said second rack members according to the amount set up in the cash register. 

1. In combination with a cash register having a plurality of first rack members differentially settable to a position commensurate with an amount set up in the cash register: a. a switch mechanism mounted on the cash register comprising a printed circuit board containing a plurality of predetermined positioned circuit elements; b. a first insulating plate slidably mounted adjacent said circuit board and having a predetermined number of apertures selectively positioned therein; c. a second insulating plate slidably mounted adjacent said first insulating plate and having a predetermined number of apertures selectively positioned therein; d. a plurality of switch contacts resiliently mounted on a support member adjacent said insulating plates, each of said switch contacts being adapted for movement in a direction to engage one of said circuit elements upon sensing aligned apertures in said first and second iNsulating plates; e. a control unit having a plurality of electrically-operated output means, said output means being selectively energized to provide a predetermined output; f. circuit means interconnecting each of said circuit elements with one or more of said output means; g. means connected to said switch contacts for supplying an energizing pulse to said contacts; and h. second rack members engaging each of said insulating plates, said second rack members being settable to a position commensurate with the adjusted position of said first rack members to position said insulating plates commensurate with the amount of set up in the each register whereby a selected number of output means are operated to provide a predetermined output.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the cash register includes a cent bank and a dime bank each having one of said first rack members, said first rack member in said cent amount bank positioning said first insulating plate, and the first rack member in said dime amount bank positioning said second insulating plate; and said control unit comprises a coin dispenser whereby change is dispensed according to the amount set up in the cent and dime amount banks of the cash register.
 3. The combination of claim 2 in which more than one of said switch contacts is positioned to engage the same circuit element upon sensing aligned apertures whereby the coin dispenser is selectively actuated to dispense change in a minimum number of coins.
 4. The combination of claim 1 in which said insulating plates are made of mylar.
 5. The combination of claim 1 in which each of said insulating plates includes a wide aperture; said second rack members having a stem portion positioned within said wide aperture; and a connecting member mounted on said stem portion and positioned in said wide aperture whereby said insulating plates are positioned by said second rack members according to the amount set up in the cash register. 